Tuesday, November 16, 2010

In these times of rapid changes it is crucial to look in front of you (instead of in the rearview mirror), to digest the relevant info, to learn and to (re)act. FAST!

However, many large corporations are still managing with a focus on data from the past. That is why they have installed all these huge ERP-systems. It is a management-style, which is dominated by control and an inward focus.

This is also the way they look at their (prospective) employees. The main driver whether you qualify for a job is your resume/cv. And this provides a view of and in the past.

This approach is no longer working. The market is changing so fast that ‘results from the past are no guarantee for the future’ anymore. This notification is even a legal requirement for financial services.

Market savviness and the ability to learn – fast - is much more crucial now.

With respect to learning there is a difference between the willingness to learn and the ‘should’ learning. Again the practice in most companies is that employees should/must learn. They send them to courses etc for this. But if there is no budget, the trainings are the first items that get cancelled. This entails a view on learning as something, which should happen occasionally.

Clearly this is no longer the way to go. One of the real differentiators is to learn, to learn fast and to learn ongoing. And of course act on what you have learned. Therefore you need a willingness to learn, an enthusiasm about learning particular topics. This can only be achieved when you work from your passion, only if you are passionate you will have this natural willingness and eagerness to learn.

In these times of rapid changes it is crucial to look in front of you (instead of in the rearview mirror), to digest the relevant info, to learn and to (re)act. FAST!

However, many large corporations are still managing with a focus on data from the past. That is why they have installed all these huge ERP-systems. It is a management-style, which is dominated by control and an inward focus.

This is also the way they look at their (prospective) employees. The main driver whether you qualify for a job is your resume/cv. And this provides a view of and in the past.

This approach is no longer working. The market is changing so fast that ‘results from the past are no guarantee for the future’ anymore. This notification is even a legal requirement for financial services.

Market savviness and the ability to learn – fast - is much more crucial now.

With respect to learning there is a difference between the willingness to learn and the ‘should’ learning. Again the practice in most companies is that employees should/must learn. They send them to courses etc for this. But if there is no budget, the trainings are the first items that get cancelled. This entails a view on learning as something, which should happen occasionally.

Clearly this is no longer the way to go. One of the real differentiators is to learn, to learn fast and to learn ongoing. And of course act on what you have learned. Therefore you need a willingness to learn, an enthusiasm about learning particular topics. This can only be achieved when you work from your passion, only if you are passionate you will have this natural willingness and eagerness to learn.